Monday, November 11, 2019

Summer Testimony from North Central

God did many amazing things this summer. I am still in awe of the many ways he answered prayers. Please continue to fervently pray with us for the children that have been reached. One amazing testimony of God’s work from this summer was in a story of forgiveness and change in a little boy’s life. Here is the story, written by one of our first year Summer Missionaries, Samuel Howard: 

“There are nearly 1.9 billion children across the world and of these children 67% don’t come from Christian homes. This is why organizations like Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF) are important. CEF not only spreads the Good News of Jesus Christ around the world, but it strategically focuses on reaching unsaved children. Every year CEF aids in leading children to Christ, changing their lives forever, and allowing Christians the ability to witness amazing works from God. This summer I had an amazing experience like this with a little boy.

After arriving ready for club, one boy showed up eager to cause trouble. My partner and I tried to make the 5-Day Club fun and engaging, but it seemed as though there was nothing we could do. This little boy was hitting, spitting, and screaming at us. After an excruciatingly long hour, the boy left. I hoped and pleaded I would never see him again, but God had a different plan in mind for me. This boy returned another day and this time brought an extra surprise: his little brother. This was when I learned an important lesson. I thought I could teach these children about God without God. With a new mindset and God’s help, I saw the kid change from a crazy irresponsible boy to a child looking for God. As we read through the Bible story of the day, he wanted to learn more about God and heaven. He started acting friendly and wanting to know more about what God could do in his life. He wanted to know how he could change to be a better person. He wanted to understand what he could do to please God.

I remember one specific moment that really stuck with me. At the end of club the boy’s little brother slapped him across the face. I jumped up to stop the emerging fight, but instead of fighting, this little six-year-old boy did something that showed the change in his heart. He looked back at his brother and did nothing. He didn’t yell at him, or hit him back, or make any expression at all. As I walked back with him, he told me how he just needed to forgive his brother. By the end of club, it was hard for me to see this new boy leave. We don’t save children, God does. But a seed was planted in this little boy’s heart and I can’t wait to see how it will grow.”

Here is a picture of Samuel teaching a group of children this summer:

Friday, May 31, 2019

Summer Ministry in Full Swing in St Croix Valley

     By the time you receive this newsletter Bill and I and five teens will be packing to head to Christian Youth In Action® (CYIA) training camp. Our three assistant missionaries have been trained and will be practicing until the first 5-Day Club® begins at the end of June.

     CYIA is a two-week long training filled with classes taught by CEF staff from around the state. We are planning on 38 teens attending this summer, some returning and some brand new. They are all anticipating being equipped to share the Gospel with children in their local neighborhoods in rural and urban Wisconsin.

     My main role at CYIA is missionary class coordinator and I will be working with the first-year students who will  teach the missions time at 5-Day Club. This year they will be teaching the story of missionary to China - Hudson Taylor. Very exciting indeed! I’ll also be part of the A-Team, helping students with practicums and giving team leaders much needed breaks.

     Bill wears some important hats at CYIA. As Dean of Men he’ll work with and encourage cabin counselors. As Resident Life Coordinator he’s responsible for overseeing the Social Life Team, Nurse, Deans and Counselors.

      This training is a huge undertaking and we all covet your prayers to carry out our roles for God’s glory and ultimately for the salvation of children. Take a look inside to meet our teens and see how you can pray for them specifically.

Praises:

   · Eight teens devoting some or all of their summer reaching children in clubs
   · Seven Good News Clubs finished strong with good attendance and spiritual growth
   · Thirty-eight teens statewide attending our two-week training this month
   · New Good News Club® looking to begin in Baldwin

Prayer Requests:
  • 5-Day Club® hosts to fill all 24 club openings
  • Strength and stamina for staff and teens during the rigorous training at camp
  • Each club that is scheduled to be filled with children to hear the Gospel and grow in faith
  • An additional $5,067 needed for summer ministry expenses
  • All the details to begin a Good News Club in Baldwin this September will be worked out


                                                                                                                                                                                              


Tuesday, April 2, 2019

A Safe Place for Young Teens


     In 2011, a wonderful program began called JYC™ (Jesus You Connec­tion). A JYC club is the next step for middle school age kids after they grow out of Good News Club®. This program uses inductive Bible study and small group discussion to allow kids to discover the meaning of God’s Word for themselves. Here is a story about a young teen who found her way by joining this special club.
     During the first couple weeks of JYC, a young girl named Susan (name changed), was curious of what some of the other girls in her grade were doing in the after-school club, so she decided to visit. Susan had never gone to church; she did not know anything about the Bible, God or Jesus. Her family life was challenging and Susan would rather be anywhere BUT home. Susan could be found at any given time on the streets in her neighborhood. On more than one occasion, a couple of the JYC leaders would see Susan walking down the street after dark in her pajamas, carrying a blanket and a backpack.
     Susan remained a faithful club member and the leaders continued to pour God’s Word and genuine love into Susan’s life. It took Susan a couple of years, but she finally came to know the Lord at this JYC club. When Susan went to high school, she asked if she could still come to the JYC club. Of course, the leaders allowed her to continue and she attended club for most of her 9th grade year. Susan went on to join a church youth group. Over the years she has grown in her faith and loves the Lord. She is now 19 years old and goes to church every week; she is a member of the choir and still helps in her church youth group.

Think of where Susan would be today had there not been a JYC club at her neighborhood school! Together we can influence the lives of young teens. 

CEF - Southeast WI Chapter

Tuesday, March 5, 2019

Ingredients For a Fun and Spiritually Powerful Winter Retreat




Ingredients For a Fun and Spiritually
Powerful Winter Retreat

● 12 incredible staff and volunteers 
●   1 super Bible camp 
● 30 amazing teenagers 
●   1 awesome Bible teacher
●   5 fantastic meals, 
●   hours of laughter and silly games.

Serve with generous scoops of personal testimony and heartfelt prayer for children. Mix well over 2 ½ days, adding 10 inches of fresh snow,

This was exactly what we experienced at our Wisconsin Christian Youth in Action® Winter Retreat, February 1-3 at Camp Fairwood in Westfield.  Four local teens journeyed with me, joining teens from around the state.  Many of these teens were reunited with friends they hadn't seen since summer training camp.  More than a third though were new and through the course of the weekend were wrapped into this extraordinary, welcoming "family". 

Laughter abounded over indoor games, outdoor fun, and around tables at meals. You would be hard-pressed to come away from this weekend unaffected by the living God.  Solid Bible teaching both challenged and encouraged all of us in our personal relationship with Christ as well as our ministry to children.  Five youth and several adults gave powerful, personal testimony of their own experience in CYIA summer ministry. The twelve teens not previously involved in CYIA heard clearly how, through their own involvement, God could change their own lives and impact children for eternity. 

If you are a teen 12 years or older, it’s not too late to join us this summer!  Contact our office for more information.


Bill Stirrat
CEF St. Croix Valley 


Thursday, January 31, 2019

Good News Club Growth in Madison Chapter


     On behalf of the Greater Madison Chapter of CEF, I am pleased to report that this has been a year of growth and blessings. While we are only half way through the academic school year, we have added three new clubs to our program and a new church partnership. The church partnership is with Word of Life Church. Their program is being implemented in the form of a children’s church called the Breakfast Club. The program is open to the children in their community on Sunday mornings. They provide a well-balanced meal, starting with a heaping plate of the Gospel served alongside a nutritional breakfast meal. We also have a club at Mt. Zion Church through their Academic Learning Center. These are just two examples of how we are looking to share the Gospel using the Good News Club® model in creative ways, such as a children’s church, community centers and alternative academic learning centers.
     We hosted our first annual Good News Club Christmas Celebration at the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Madison. The event was open to all of the clubs in the Greater Madison area. While each club had their own Christmas celebration, the collaborative event was an opportunity to reach the families and friends of the children that attend Good News Club. The Gospel message was presented by Joan Wheeler, who has been battling health problems all year that have kept her from being involved in a club this year. She presented a powerful Gospel Message. Two children, whose mother had stopped into our Good News Club and asked us to pray for, received Christ that night. They came to club after winter break and they were still on fire for God. A wonderful friend name Donna who works at Walmart, made a special donation of gifts so that each child who attended the event left with a gift.
   We thank God that the first half of our year has been blessed and that He continues to work in and through us. Please pray for the health of all of our Good News Club workers; particularly those workers in wheel chairs, or those who rely on walkers and scooters. We are going into the time of year when the weather can make it very challenging for these individuals to continue to serve.
    If you or someone you know would be interested in volunteering on a part time or full time basis through the end of the academic school year please contact our local CEF office.

Cheryl Knox
Good News Club Coordinator
Madison CEF

Monday, January 7, 2019

A Pastor finds another Jerusalem outside the walls of the church!



As a pastor, I appreciate CEF’s commitment to the multi-faceted foundations of salvation in Jesus Christ.  Through well-written songs and actions, creative crafts with the purpose of the lesson, and much interaction time with believers who know how to share the Good News, CEF is able to impact children’s lives forever.
My son went through some of the training and helped at one of the Good News Clubs® and, while I’m sure the kids at the club benefited by his love and word from the Lord for them, my son was changed forever too.  He is now leading Bible studies and able to share his faith with friends and co-workers more succinctly. 
Bringing the members of our church to CEF training for Good News Club’s or any of the other teaching is a high priority for me.  As I attend these sessions,
I appreciate how well they are taught, how practical they are, and how memorable too.  It is a priority for believers in Christ, if not priority number one, to be able to handle the Word of God and explain salvation to those who have not yet heard or accepted the free gift God offers. For too long most believers, including myself, have floundered in this most-important area in our life as a child of God.  With CEF, we don’t have to flounder anymore.  They have the resources for the church to be the church!
One final note, each Good News Club is an extension of the church that sponsors it. What a great outreach for any church.  Let’s fund and staff more Good News Club’s from our local churches!


Pastor Dan Hummel 
Hartford Bible Church

St Croix Verse-a-thon





December, 2018

We held our Sixth Annual Verse-A-Thon on November 10, 2018 at Alliance Church of the Valley. There were 10 participants who recited 362 verses in all! What a tremendous blessing spiritually to be a listener at one of the recitation stations. My heart swelled as the participants quoted God’s Word.
In the photo from left to right are: Wendy Bachman, Bill Stirrat, Makaila Brown, Shannon Hoppe, Renee Iverson, Karen Schnell and Paul Wagner (not shown: Isaiah, Julia and Natalie Milner). Our top three finishers were Wendy, Bill and Shannon. Wendy was our winner, reciting 45 verses in under 17 minutes and 10 verses in our bonus round.
These ten participants raised around $5,000 to enable us to get the Gospel to the children in our six-county chapter.  These funds will help us run our 5-Day Club® ministry in the summer, train teens at Christian Youth In Action® camp, teach adults at area churches how to reach children for Jesus, run after-school Good News Clubs and other outreaches throughout the year.
Thank you to all who participated, listened to verses at our recitation stations and helped make the event successful by your financial gifts and prayers .  ~Lisa Inlow